1/14/2024 0 Comments Wines that pair with opus one 2012Four wines were poured over the course of the evening three of their flagship “Opus One” wines and a wine from their second label, Overture. It may seem all we did was listen to Emmanuel talk, in truth we were tasting wine the entire time. While Emmanuel loves their 2020 vintage, he wasn’t optimistic an Opus One flagship wine would be released from it. While Opus One already harvested their grapes before the 2020 Napa fires broke out, they knew the reputation of a ‘smoke vintage’ could damage the brand. Listening to details like this put me in wine-geek heaven.įire (and smoke taint) is another growing problem. Opus One’s vines point true north to minimize the sun exposure, as they want a longer, cooler ripening season than a fast one that will cause their grapes to bake. He also went into detail about wine growing at Opus One and climate change as a whole. But were they appreciated when they were touring? No! After all, Led Zeppelin is one of the greatest rock bands of all time. “Impatience!”Įmmanuel spoke about the scores they’ve earned from the fancy wine magazines but he didn’t dwell on them, comparing wine critics with music critics. “What are we known for in America?” Robert asked the audience. This includes being able to drink your wine immediately, not wait years (sometimes decades) for the wine to settle down. Opus One was the fruits of their labor, with the first vintage being produced in 1982.Īfter our history lesson, Emmanuel discussed Opus One’s philosophy. Baron realized California was a huge business opportunity, so in 1979 he partnered with Robert with the goal of creating an ultra-premium brand. This event saw a pair of Napa wines take top honors in a blind tasting (beating one of Baron’s own wines), heralding the ‘arrival’ of Napa in the wine world. It was the 1976 “Judgment of Paris” that brought these men together. “Luxury should not be unapproachable,” explained Emmanuel. In an era where it was customary for vineyards to sell to middlemen, both realized they could increase their profitability and control quality by bottling their own wine and selling directly to the public.īoth also pioneered the use of lower-cost wine brands in conjunction with their premium ones, so people could have a taste of Napa or Bordeaux without breaking the bank. Baron came from the family that owned Château Mouton Rothschild, the only estate to be accepted as a “First Growth” Bordeaux winery after the initial Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.īut their legacies were cemented by their ability to bring wine to the masses. Robert was the first person to open a winery in California since prohibition and went on to become known as the ‘father of California wine’. The story of Opus One is really the story of two of the wine industry’s greatest marketers and innovators Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild.īoth came from famous wine families. What I didn’t know is I was getting a full history lesson, as told by one of their brand ambassadors, Emmanuel Padilla. I went in expecting a wine tasting (and some bite-sized snacks). Cab Sauv comprises around 76-86% of the wine, depending on the vintage. While often described as Cabernets Sauvignons, in truth they are left-bank style Bordeaux blends, often using all five noble red grapes. So when owner Jill Erber kicked off the event by describing Opus One as “One of the world’s most iconic wines” she wasn’t joking. Even new releases go for almost $400 a bottle. For many years an Opus One wine held the record as the most expensive California wine ever sold. If you like to drink fancy red wine but never heard of Opus One…you might be living under a rock. But while avidly waiting for their return I saw Cheesetique post an event that might be better – the chance to try a flight of Opus One wines. One of my favorite evening events are their in-person wine and cheese pairings, which have been on pause since COVID. While a second location is in Shirlington the OG store is located in Del Ray, part of a row of cute of mom-and-pop restaurants and boutique stores. If you haven’t visited Cheesetique, you’re missing out.
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